Please Click here to download the Lead On 2012 Application!

Are you an Alaskan youth aged 13-18? Are you interested in becoming a leader in your community? Would you like to work with other youth from across Alaska? Would you like the chance to promote peace and equality in your community? If so, Lead On! is your chance to make it happen!

Lead On! 2012 will take place during Veteran’s Day weekend, November 10th-12th in Anchorage, AK.  Scholarships are available for travel and lodging (please see application). Check out this video created by youth from last year’s Lead On!

Lead On! is a youth leadership conference aimed at promoting peace and equality throughout the state of Alaska! You will be able to attend workshops held by local and national speakers who use creative methods, such as theater, art, media, and discussion to explore a diverse range of topics including healthy relationships, nonviolence, culture & identity, positive choices, leadership skills, and community activism. In addition, you will develop skills that help you complete your own youth-led project that promotes individual, community, and/or relationship wellness.

More information can be found at http://www.andvsa.org/prevention-projects/lead-on/.

We will have three review dates this year. Youth can choose which deadline to submit their application by. HOWEVER, we will continue to award  spots on a first-come-first serve basis; so it is best to submit applications by the first two due dates.  The review dates are:

• June 15, 2012
• August 28,2012
• September 14, 2012

Please Click here to download the Lead On 2012 Application!

Please note the changes to this year’s application include:

• The ability to submit audio/video versions of the application
• Only one letter of support is required
• An extra subset of questions for returning Lead On! Youth
• An application for adult chaperones interested in attending Lead On!
• Three review dates

Great Job Juneau!!!!!

Participants of Lead On 2011

Lead On! Youth Leadership Mini-Summit is looking for planning committee members for the 5th annual Lead On!

We are looking members that:

• Will help decide on applications, themes, menu, workshops and so much more
• Are at least 13 years old
• Are able to participant in teleconferences 2-4 times a month until Lead On! in November2012
• Also, attendance of previous Lead On! is not necessary to be on this committee.

If you or someone you know is interested in participating the planning process, please have them contact me at Alicia at aali@andvsa.org.  We will planning our first meeting in the upcoming weeks so please let me Alicia know as soon as possible.

More information  about Lead On! can be found on ANDVSA page: http://www.andvsa.org/lead-on/

Lead On 2010 Documentary

Lead On 2011 Digital Story

Created by youth participants

More information  about Lead On! can be found on ANDVSA page: http://www.andvsa.org/lead-on/

YAHA is a group of diverse, energetic teens ages 14-18 from across Alaska that are interested in health and are enthusiastic about shaping how our state responds to youth issues. Here are a few things YAHA does:

• Provide feedback insight and advice to youth serving agencies.
• Review materials created for teens by youth serving organizations.
• Create interventions designed to improve the lives of adolescents in Alaska.

Check out their website at http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dph/wcfh/adolescent/yaha.htm for more information!

Teens Lead Ahead 2011

Stand Up Speak Up

Mini-Grants 2012

Round I of this year’s Stand Up Speak Up Mini-Grants have been awarded. Awarded communities from this first round are Juneau, Gustavus, Sitka and Bethel.

Mentorship Program — Juneau

Recipients: Lily Baastrup, Angelina Bigness, Elias Romanoff, Shaylynn Jerue, Corise Bean, Sarah Cerne, Keri Dixon & Ati Nasiah

Project Description: The purpose of this project is to help promote respect and healthy lifestyles among Juneau youth.

Activities involved:

• Creating a mentorship program
• School presentations
• Team-building weekend

The project focuses on the Building a Peer Culture and Leading the Way aspects of the Stand Up Speak Up campaign.

Guerilla Marketing — Sitka

Recipients: Heidi Kritz, Nick Bouker, Nelson Kanuk, Tessa Baldwin, Vanessa Morales, Brain Sparks & Julia Smith

Project Description: The purpose of this project is to help promote respect both within and across the high schools of Sitka.

Activities involved:

• Media campaign
• Coordinated week of social activities
• Outdoor leadership trip

The project focuses on the Keep Respect Going, Building a Peer Culture, and Leading the Way aspects of the Stand Up Speak Up campaign.

Teens Lead Ahead  — Bethel

Recipients: Annie Sam, KC D’Onfro & Elizabeth Stegeman

Project Description: The purpose of this project is to help promote respect for self, others, environment and Elders.

Activities involved:

• Host a teen leadership camp with presentations and activities discussing
  • Healthy relationships
  • Suicide prevention
  • Cultural traditions

The project focuses on the Relationship Basics and Leading the Way aspects of the Stand Up Speak Up campaign.

Glacier Bay Kayak Trip — Gustavus/Juneau

Recipients: Kassandra Eyre, Geordy Ewing, Keri Dixon & Ati Nasiah

Project Description: The purpose of this project is to help promote respect, teen leadership, and healthy relationships for Alaskan youth.

Activities involved:

• Glacier Bay Kayak Trip
• Implementing the REBOUND curriculum which promotes peer education, self-respect, and wilderness experiences.

The project focuses on the Keep Respect Going and Leading the Way aspects of the Stand Up Speak Up campaign.

Community Art Program — Bethel

Recipients: Annie Mae Lee, KC D’Onfro & Elizabeth Stegeman

Project Description: The purpose of this project is to help provide Bethel community members with healthy ways to express emotions as well as create positive extracurricular activities.

Activities involved:

• Educational art sessions discussing
  • Culture
  • Healthy Coping
  • Color theory

The project focuses on the Leading the Way and Getting Help aspects of the Stand Up Speak Up campaign.

Wilderness Excursions — Bethel

Recipients: Yvonne Aloralrea, KC D’Onfro & Elizabeth Stegeman

Project Description: The purpose of this project is to help promote teen leadership and involvement in cultural activities in communities in the Bethel region.

Activities Involved:

• Subsistence focused hunting trips
• Educational sessions on culture and traditions

The project focuses on the Building a Peer Culture and Getting Help aspects of the Stand Up Speak Up campaign.

Round II is currently underway, we hope to have results of this final round revealed soon. Please check back!

Interested in Leadership Training?

The Alaska Points of Light Youth Leadership Institute (PYLI) will be hosting its 15th annual Youth Community Leadership Training in Anchorage for youth in grades 8-12.  Training will  start on Monday, March 12 at 9:00 a.m. and go until 5:00 p.m. through Friday, March 16. It will cover several topics including goal setting, team building, project planning, decision making and more.

Students can apply by getting an application from their school guidance/career resource office, or have an application sent to them via email or mail. Applications are due February 29th. For  more information please visit  www.pyli.org or email alaskayouthasresources@alaska.net.

Interested in getting a $500 mini-grant to help fund it?

AASB/Alaska ICE wants to help!

The Association of Alaska School Boards/Alaska ICE wants to support healthy youth/adult relationships where young people feel valued & empowered and adults build assets to help young people thrive. Applications for mini-grants are January 31, 2012. Click here for more information.

Check out past mini-grant winners….

Glacier Bay Kayaking Trip:

Twenty teens from Southeast Alaska spent a week kayaking through Glacier Bay. This gave the teens the opportunity to build strong outdoor leadership skills, develop healthy relationships tools and gain inspiration and resources to promote wellness in their home communities.

Juneau Community Mural:

Youth from Juneau worked on a community mural to remind the everyone of what individuals are already doing to make Juneau a respectful place for all.

Mat-Su Students Choose Respect Poster Contest:

Youth members of the Mat-Su Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition designed a Choose Respect poster contest as a way to “engage youth in the campaign and to contribute positive social norms and peer influences”.

The PSA represents many voices and vocalizes issues that tribal youth across all regions identified as important to address in their communities. It was filmed on site during the NIYS at the Santa Fe Indian School. (Information taken from the United States Department of Justice).